Buncheong

Buncheong
Buncheong Ware with Inlaid Dragon and Stamped Design, Joseon Dynasty, National Treasure No. 259
Korean name
Hangul	분청사기
Hanja	粉靑沙器
Revised Romanization	Buncheong Sagi
McCune–Reischauer	Punch'ǒng Sagi

Buncheong ware, or Punch'ong, is a form of traditional Korean stoneware, with a bluish-green tone. Pots are coated with a white slip, and decorative designs are painted on using an iron pigment. The style of stoneware arose in the 14th century and continues today.

History[]

Buncheong ware developed from the earlier Goryeo celadon inlay technique called sanggam and rapidly distinguished itself.^[1][2] The style emerged in the early Joseon dynasty, largely replacing the style of celadon in common use. In contrast to the refined elegance of Goryeo celadon, buncheong is designed to be natural, unassuming, and practical.^[3] However, it all but disappeared from Korea after the 16th century due to the popularity of Joseon white porcelain.^[4]

Through a series of cultural and economic circumstances, Buncheong wares in its heyday were exported to Japan by practitioners of the Japanese tea ceremony.^[5] After they were adopted by the Japanese tea masters, they started to influence Japanese ceramics. And from Japan, Buncheong spread widely and became known as Mishima pottery.

In the 20th century, elements of Buncheong influenced many artists seeking insight into Asian ceramic traditions, and Buncheong continues to inspire artists to this day. Today, some Korean artists are working in stoneware with Buncheong techniques. The development of Buncheong is described in the 2011 book Korean Buncheong Ceramics from Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, published to accompany the exhibition Poetry in Clay in New York and San Francisco.

The National Museum of Korea houses a large collection of Buncheong ware, as well as the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul.^[6]

Characteristics[]

Buncheong is characterised by the use of a dark, iron bearing clay, white slip for decoration and a clear glaze. Decorations can be white slip brushed on, drawing through white slip to reveal the dark body, iron oxide pigments applied with a brush and other methods all employing white slip on the dark body.

Gallery[]

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  Drum-shaped bottle with iron brown decoration with arabesque design (National Treasure No. 1062)

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  Drum-shaped bottle with decoration of fish, bird, and lotus

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  Shallow Bowl with Chrysanthemum Design

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  Bowl with Naeseom Inscription

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  Bowl with Naeseom Inscription

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Gallery by techniques[]

There are six techniques in Buncheong in brief, they are Guiyal, inhwa, bakji, eumgak, cheolhwa and damguem techniques.

guiyal technique	buncheong tea cup, casual ware	Joseon period's common people enjoyed using Buncheong. Being at a natural state lead to another beauty. late 15th-early 16th century
inwha	inwha buncheong dish, stamping flowers or dots	buncheong bowl with tortoiseshell and chrysanthemums decorations
bakji	buncheong bowl inwha combined with bakji technique, pheony leaves and chrysanthemum	Buncheong ceramics, national museum of Korea
eumgak	tea cup buncheong eumgak inlaid peony	fish motif are often seen since Gaya kingdom's first queen Heo came from Ayordiya, India with her family symbol, two fishes siding each other
cheolwha	buncheong's beauty of releasing is called Moowi meaning not putting efforts, opposition to a perfection	cheowha technique using iron painting
damguem	tea bowl of buncheong 16c	Buncheong rice wine Makgeoli sabal

See also[]

• Korean pottery and porcelain

References[]

Further reading[]

• Soyoung Lee, Seung-chang Jeon. Korean Buncheong Ceramics from Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2011. ISBN 978-0300155167
• Masterpieces of Punchong (Buncheong, Punch'ong) Ware from the Ho-Am Art Museum. Ho-Am Art Museum. 1993

External links[]

Media related to Buncheong ware at Wikimedia Commons

• Profile of buncheong artist Yoon Kwang-Cho
• Categories of Korean Ceramics

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